THE LORD’S SUPPER12th Sunday after Pentecost(Ordinary Time)

16th August 2015

How is the world today?

Fallen…. Corrupted…. sinful

What are our problems today?

John 6: 51-58• 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and

the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

• 6:52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

• 6:53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

• 6:54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day;

• 6:55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.

• 6:56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.

• 6:57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.

• 6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."

Quick contemplation…#1: Understanding and Eating

From the perspective of the Lord’s Supper…. Bread and wine

Do we eat as invited?

Do we understand what it means first?

Miracle of the feeding of 5,000It is not about the bread that was provided by Jesus for nourishment (temp).

It is Jesus being the SOURCE of nourishment (eternal).

Quick contemplation…#2: How to have eternal life?

Is it the right belief? Is it the right doing?

Eternal life = being in close communion with Jesus. Eternal life = remain in Jesus and to have Jesus remain in us.

We take Christ’s body and blood into our mouths, into our stomachs, into our bodies, so that Christ remains in us

and we remain in Christ.

Quick contemplation…#3: What does it really mean?

If we eat of the body and drink of the blood….

we can expect:

• To have life ongoing (verse 54)• To be raised on the last day (verse

54)• To abide in Jesus (verse 56)• To have Jesus abide in [me] (verse

56)• To live because of/for the sake of

Jesus (verse 57)• To live forever (verse 58)

Quick contemplation…#4: The mystery of the body and blood

If we eat of the body and drink of the blood…. Note it in 2 levels:

1. Faith in Christ = drawing life from the life of Jesus given for the world(The Holy Communion is life giving because Jesus gives it) 2. Partaking of the Lord’s Supper = acceptance of Jesus, not just remembrance (The Holy Communion is life giving because it is Jesus that is given)

Ephesians 5: 15-20• 5:15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but

as wise,

• 5:16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.

• 5:17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

• 5:18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,

• 5:19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts.

• 5:20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Quick contemplation…Live as wise, not unwise

Understand the will of the Lord!

Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord in our hearts.

Giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of

our Lord Jesus Christ

GOSPEL

Be FILLED with the Spirit!

How does the Lord’s Supper help?

1. Remembering Jesus as our Lord and our Saviour as we partake in the Holy Communion

2. As we eat and drink, realising the immenseness of the reality of us receiving eternal life as He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit!

3. Receiving His promise to us that only as we eat His body and drink His blood will we be able to abide in Him and Him in us.

4. We can claim the promise that He is the Bread of life, our sustenance in a time when we have very little hope in this world, this unfair, cruel, evil world!

How then shall we live?

When we drink of the wine

When we eat of the bread

What shall I do for my relationship with God today?

He says…

Therefore….